Doncaster

Doncaster's population grew between the last two censuses. Data from the census also show there were changes in marriage, housing tenure and health.

The population passed 300,000

In the 10 years leading up to 2011, the population of Doncaster increased by 5.4%, from just under 287,000 to 302,000.

The addition of just under 16,000 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Doncaster was home to, on average, 3.8 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across Yorkshire and The Humber

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across Yorkshire and The Humber, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Doncaster

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Doncaster increased by two years, from 38 to 40 years.

This industrial area had a slightly higher average age than Yorkshire and The Humber and remained slightly older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of about 8,100 people between the ages of 20 and 29 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just under 7,000.

About 13% of people in Doncaster are aged between 20 and 29 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, Yorkshire and The Humber and Doncaster by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer married people

Doncaster saw England's third-largest fall in the proportion of married people.

In 2011, just under one in two (47%) people aged 16 and over in Doncaster said they were married, compared with 54% in 2001. The percentage that said they were single increased from 26% to 32%.

England's largest decrease in the proportion of married people occurred in Lincoln (from 44% to 37%) followed by Welwyn Hatfield (from 51% to 45%).

The proportion of married people was higher than across Yorkshire and The Humber

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were married across local authority areas in Yorkshire and The Humber and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in rate of unemployment

The percentage of Doncaster residents that were unemployed increased from 4.2% to 5.8% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just over one in two (52%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 50% in 2001. The percentage of Doncaster residents that were self-employed increased from 6.0% to 7.3%.

The proportion of unemployed people increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Yorkshire and The Humber (from 3.7% in 2001 to 4.9% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.4% to 4.4%.

The rate of unemployment in Doncaster increased by 1.6 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Doncaster, Yorkshire and The Humber and England that said they were unemployed, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Doncaster with only adult children living with their parents increased from 10% to 11% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just under 3 in 10 (30%) households had at least one dependent child, compared with 31% in 2001. The percentage of households in Doncaster without children increased from 59% to 60%.

The proportion of households with adult children living with their parents increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Yorkshire and The Humber (which remained close to 9.3%). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.4% to 9.6%.

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was higher than across Yorkshire and The Humber

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in Yorkshire and The Humber and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

Doncaster saw Yorkshire and The Humber's third-largest rise in the proportion of privately rented homes.

In 2011, just over one in seven (15%) households in Doncaster rented privately, compared with 6.6% in 2001. The percentage of socially rented homes decreased from 21% to 18%.

Across the region, only Kingston upon Hull (from 12% to 20%) and Bradford (from 9.7% to 18%) saw a greater increase in the proportion of privately rented homes.

Every local authority area across Yorkshire and The Humber saw a rise in the proportion of privately rented homes, as the regional average grew from 9.1% to 16%.

Private renting in Doncaster increased by 8.3 percentage points

Percentage of households in Doncaster, Yorkshire and The Humber and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Doncaster residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 12% to 7.3% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just under 8 in 10 (78%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 65% in 2001. The percentage of Doncaster residents that described their health as fair decreased from 24% to 15%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Yorkshire and The Humber (from 10% in 2001 to 6.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Doncaster decreased by 4.7 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Doncaster, Yorkshire and The Humber and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

More people cohabiting

Doncaster saw Yorkshire and The Humber's third-largest rise in the proportion of households with an unmarried couple.

In 2011, just over one in nine (12%) households in Doncaster had an unmarried couple, compared with 8.9% in 2001. The percentage of households comprising just one person increased from 28% to 29%.

Across the region, only Barnsley (from 9.0% to 12%) and North Lincolnshire (from 8.4% to 11%) saw a greater increase in the proportion of households with an unmarried couple.

Every local authority area across Yorkshire and The Humber saw a rise in the proportion of households with an unmarried couple, as the regional average grew from 8.7% to 11%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple in Doncaster increased by 2.8 percentage points

Percentage of households in Doncaster, Yorkshire and The Humber and England that had an unmarried couple, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Doncaster

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, 26% said they had no religion. An increase from 12% in 2001 makes this the fastest-growing religious group in Doncaster.

The percentage increased by more than the average across Yorkshire and The Humber (from 14% to 26%) and the average across England (from 15% to 25%).

The number of people in Doncaster that described themselves as Christian decreased from just under 230,000 in 2001 to just under 200,000 in 2011 (from 80% to 66%). The number of people who did not disclose their religious affiliation decreased from just under 22,000 to just under 21,000 (from 7.6% to 6.9%).

About 5,000 people (0.7%) said they were Muslim, up from about 2,100 in 2001 (1.7%).

The population without a religion in Doncaster increased by 13 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, Yorkshire and The Humber and Doncaster by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Doncaster

The percentage of Doncaster residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 6.9% to 6.3% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just under 1 in 20 (4.8%) reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities, compared with 4.3% in 2001. The percentage of Doncaster residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 89%.

The proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Yorkshire and The Humber (from 7.0% in 2001 to 6.5% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 6.8% to 6.5%.

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across Yorkshire and The Humber

Percentage of usual residents that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in Yorkshire and The Humber and the average across England, March 2011

Ethnicity in Doncaster

In 2011, 95% of the local population said they were from the White ethnic groups. An increase from 98% in 2001 makes this the fastest-growing ethnic group in Doncaster.

The percentage decreased by less than the average across Yorkshire and The Humber (from 93% to 89%) and the average across England (from 91% to 85%).

The number of people in Doncaster from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from just under 3,600 in 2001 to about 7,600 in 2011 (from 1.3% to 2.5%). The number of residents from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed) increased from just under 1,800 to about 3,300 (from 0.6% to 1.1%).

Just over 2,300 people (0.4%) said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups, up from about 1,000 in 2001 (0.8%).

The population from the White ethnic groups in Doncaster decreased by 2.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, Yorkshire and The Humber and Doncaster by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Doncaster working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 13% to 9.2% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just over 1 in 40 (2.5%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 1.5% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Yorkshire and The Humber (from 13% in 2001 to 9.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 13% to 10%.

Long hour working in Doncaster decreased by 3.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Doncaster, Yorkshire and The Humber and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of Doncaster residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.4% to 1.7% between the last two censuses.

The percentage who reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 2.9%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Yorkshire and The Humber (from 1.2% in 2001 to 1.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.1% to 1.4%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in Doncaster remained close to 1.7%

Percentage of usual residents in England, Yorkshire and The Humber and Doncaster by care, March 2001 and March 2011

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